For years now I’ve been on the look-out for talented models based nearby that I could work with regularly, and while there are a couple of great local models that you will see popping up quite frequently in this blog, my search continues.

Imagine my delight then when I discovered there was a very talented model and photographer based just a mile from my studio.

Then imagine my frustration to discover not only that she has been modelling for years and on the look-out for local photographers, but that her best friend was one of my favourite local models that I’ve worked with loads of times, but she had never mentioned Kat, assuming I was already working with her >:<

Anyway, putting all that frustration aside, we were working together at last 😀

As usual with new models, we started with the set pieces for my nude portrait project, but I wanted to get those done as quickly as possible and move on to get in as much variety as I could and see if Kat really is as good as her reputation.

She is 😀

I often tell new models that standing figure work is one of the hardest things they will be asked to do. and that working nude, with only the light to interact with to produce curves and shapes pleasing to the eye, is a skill few models master.

Kat is well on the way to that mastery 🙂

After low key and high key figure work, we moved on to some beauty shots.

That meant Kat and Linda disappearing off to the the makeup table.  I’d been impressed with some of the looks Kat had in her portfolio, particularly when she told me she did all her own makeup.  She also told me she often found it frustrating when the photographer asked for a mainstream glamour look, or  classic natural, saying she rarely had the opportunity to create the sort of look she rally liked.  Given that, what else was I going to do?  I told her she had a free hand with her look for the beauty set and stood back and waited 🙂

Well actually I didn’t just stand back.  I had the studio to reset for the beauty set and a slightly different lighting rig that I wanted to try, but having listened to Kat and Linda discuss their approach to the desired look, I knew I would have plenty of time 🙂

It was worth the wait.

Kat loves wigs, and she’s not what you’d call conservative with them 😀

We had fun working from head and shoulders beauty to a full length nude nymph beauty shot, playing with various coloured wigs, paper butterflies and colour gels along the way.  Judge the results for yourself below 🙂

Now I’ve always felt a little uncomfortable working with other photographers in the room.  I’m just not a natural ‘group shoot’ type photographer, so actually taking on a full blown shoot with a photographer as a model, had me a little disconcerted before the shoot.  That didn’t last.

I’ve always been a bit of a photography geek, so when it turned out that Kat was one too we were in danger of losing the shoot to hours of ‘geek-speak’  We were soon comparing stories, experiences and first cameras.  It turns out I won that one as My first camera was a cardboard affair that I got aged 8, while she was a mature 10 before enlightenment struck 🙂  I do admit to one uneasy moment when I asked her about a lighting rig I was using and she rather hesitantly said ‘well its the most intricate lighting set-up I think I’ve seen’   – a very diplomatic answer indeed :/

We had great fun, and I was pleased when Kat, a model of 10 tears experience, told me we’d done stuff she’d never done before 😀

The only question now is how soon can we pry here away from her own studio and back into ours 🙂